we saw that with katrina, for instance, and george w. bush. >> woodruff: dan, what about a role for governor romney at a time like this? >> well, it's minimal at this point. i mean he really has to remain essentially iisibe. he can't lok like he's trng to do anyingoxplit the politics of the moment. so in a sense there's more potential up side for president obama, but as susan said more potential down side for governor romney i think it is a matter of just kind of waiting and watching and then deciding at what point he can go back out. i mean one of the issues is, does this short circuit kind of the surge of energy that we've seen around the romney campaign? there's no question that there is more energy out there in the republican base and at events he's been holding. does this affect that in some way that would be detrimental to him? ese are all he questions that we n't answer tight. >> woruff: because we just don't know when they're going to be back on the trail. there's no way to gauge that. >> that's exactly right. i mean, we obviousl